A soldier who killed his girlfriend for being a prostitute has been jailed for what the judge called a "cruel and callous" murder.

George Tayali, 28, strangled Sandra Wiles, 19, at her flat in Poole Quay, Poole, Dorset, on 2 February last year.

Tayali, who was based at the Household Cavalry barracks in Windsor, claimed he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder when he killed her.

Mr Justice Cresswell jailed him for life. He must serve at least 14 years.

Police, in my defence, I found out my girlfriend is a prostitute so I killed both of us

Note left by George Tayali

A defence psychiatrist confirmed Tayali had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq in 2004.

However, the prosecution at Winchester Crown Court maintained he was not suffering from mental illness at the time of the killing.

In the days before her death, Tayali discovered Ms Wiles and her flatmate Thuli Maphosa had answered an advertisement for escorts and visited what was effectively a brothel, with Ms Wiles picking up men for sex.

To find out the truth Tayali sent a friend to the brothel with £100 to have sex with Miss Wiles, the court was told.

Nigel Seed QC, prosecuting, said the defendant was very angry when he found out about his girlfriend's work.

Arrested on plane

The court heard Miss Maphosa had found the naked body of her flatmate lying on a duvet in the lounge of their flat after she came home from work.

When police were called they found a note in Tayali's handwriting which said: "Police, in my defence, I found out my girlfriend is a prostitute so I killed both of us. PS, I loved this girl."

Police later tracked down Tayali's car to Heathrow airport and he was arrested the following day after boarding a plane bound for South Africa.

Tayali admitted killing Miss Wiles but denied murder. He offered a defence of diminished responsibility or provocation but the jury did not agree.